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Police Are Seeing Increase of”Huffing” by Juveniles

Lincoln Police are concerned about the increase of juveniles using air horns to get high.

Officer Bonkiewicz says officers responded to a huffing in the last week in which a juvenile was hospitalized because of huffing.
Bonkiewicz cautions that one study indicates that twenty percent of U.S. middle school and high schoolers have “huffed” at some point.

Lincoln Police are concerned about the increase of juveniles using air horns to get high. Officer Luke Bonkiewicz says officers responded to an incidident in the last week in which a juvenile was hospitalized because of huffing.

Officer Bonkiewicz says the process in which juveniles use or release chemicals from the air horn in a confined space and inhale it is very dangerous. Bonkiewicz says the huffing is not a harmless game and can lead to permanent physical damage including brain damage and even death.

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Signs of inhalant abuse or “huffing” include:

-Paint or chemical smell on clothing, skin, or breath

-Stains from paints, solvents, or other chemicals on the hands or face

-Slurred speech

-Acting drunk or disoriented

-Loss of inhibition or motor coordination

-Exhausted or fatigued for several hours without cause

-Lightheadedness

-Drowsiness or nodding off during conversation

-Wheezing

-Nausea or vomiting

-“Glue sniffer’s rash,” found around the nose or mouth

-Hiding paraphernalia like used rags, tissues, bags, and empty cans

What can parents, teachers, and schools do?

-Be on the lookout for symptoms of huffing (above)

-Be on the lookout for empty air horn cans, as well as other empty aerosol canisters, such as glue, dry-cleaning fluids, whipped cream, and other aerosols, as well as huffing paraphernalia.

-Be on the lookout for unusual sounds (such as air horns, aerosol cans) coming from bathrooms, cars, and other confined spaces

-Report incidents immediately to law enforcement

-Treat these incidents as possible medical episodes and be ready to call for emergency medical services